LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- There have been plenty of times over the past 14 years that Kansas was supposed to have a tough test in the Big 12, only for the Jayhawks to emerge on top when March rolled around.
The year Texas had Kevin Durant, or Oklahoma boasted Buddy Hield. The years that Jayhawks coach Bill Self had to replace all five of his starters, or that some other up-and-coming program was stocked with the kind of talent that Kansas seems to get every season.
This was not supposed to be one of those years.
Yes, the Jayhawks lost their entire backcourt of Devonte Graham, Svi Mykhailiuk and Malik Newman to the NBA.